Thanksgiving is a stressful time for me normally, but this last one seemed more intense as we had what felt like a crisis happening in our immediate family. I found myself awake at night running through all the “what ifs.” Then, I felt guilty for worrying about something I have no power to fix. I kept hearing the words “be anxious for nothing” replay over and over in my mind. I cried out to the Lord, “how am I not supposed to worry?!” I felt scared and helpless.
Have you been there? Overwhelmed by a circumstance that feels disastrous as you imagine worse case scenarios? Are you worried now? Anxiety is a big topic and as believers we can tend to miss the opportunity that worry brings to grow more intimately close to our Lord. This intimacy is not nourished by dismissing our worries or minimizing our feelings, but by turning toward Jesus and letting Him Shepherd us through.
Jesus invites us to draw near. He brings us close, so He can teach us how to process our fear and experience His peace and rest. Do you ever wonder why Jesus often went away to lonely places? I believe part of the reason was He needed to express His fearful worried feelings to His Father. He needed a safe place. He longed to receive comfort and perspective along with the peace that transcends our circumstances. He needed, like us, a place to be completely honest about His feelings and be totally vulnerable.
Pause a moment and identify a worry or anxious thought that continues to occupy your mind. [You may want to grab your journal and fully engage in this process]
I’m going to paraphrase a few passages that address the same theme of worry and anxiety from the gospels and Paul’s letters.
With your worry in mind, listen to Jesus’ invitation,
“________(your name)_______, Come here. Look into my eyes and give thanks. Breathe in My unfailing love and faithfulness. My understanding is beyond measure.I want to give you My peace. Will you rejoice in that promise? I want to give you rest and lighten your load. Can you give thanks for that? I have everything you need. I know you’re tired, let me teach you. I truly don’t want you to worry about your life (or the lives of others). Link arms with Me now. Let’s walk together through this. Our Father knows what you (and they) need.” Rejoice in Me.
(Matthew 6:25; 11:26-28)
“Now that you’re focused on the abundance of who I AM, tell me exactly what you need. Don’t leave anything out. Freely express your feelings and thoughts, your fears and hopes. Pour it all out and know I hear you and I understand. Don’t rush, I care about every detail of your life.
Pause here and recall what I’ve already done. Give thanks again.” [You may want to make a list of all that God has already done for you]
“Now, rest in Me. Live in Me. Breathe in Me. I want you to experience my peace that exceeds anything you can understand. My peace will guard your heart and mind as you live in Me. Keep putting this into practice then and fix your mind, your thoughts on what is true in Me, not on your circumstance. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.Continually pray and give thanks.”
Philippians 4:4-9
This is not a one and done. This is where we live. Constantly returning to joy, giving thanks, expressing our needs and focusing on listening and following Jesus’ lead. He is our peace.
Don’t be ashamed or guilty about your worried feelings. They’re inviting you to draw near. Let them lead you into the throne of grace and receive the help you need.
May God bless you as you grow in grace and peace wherever you find yourself today.
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